• The reading experience: first impressions; was it dull, painful or exciting?
• Command of subject matter: Does the writer know what he or she is writing about?
• The premise and thematic purpose: Is it clear what the story is about and does it result in a meaningful and rewarding experience?
• Film potential and audience: Will the screenplay make an exciting film? Is it clear who will want to see the film?
• The appropriate medium: Is it suited to be filmed or will it work better as a stageplay, a novel, or TV series?
• The characters: Are the roles and functions of the characters in the story well defined? Is the dialogue a function of character or stilted conversation?
• The plot: Is the action or journey clear? What makes the journey exciting or dull?
• Narrative style: Does the voice of the writer reflect the writer’s experience, history and culture? Is the narrative visual and captivating?

The Comprehensive Readers Report Will Recommend:

The script/ manuscript must be sent to E.R.: our emergency room for work that need to re-written and not ready for development. It needs to be reworked through one-on-one sessions, or cybertraining.

The script/ manuscript is ready for development: Minor surgery is needed and the work is ready to be submitted to the film/ publishing process.

Scripts and manuscripts are read or edited by Daniel Dercksen, the driving force behind the successful independent training initiative The Writing Studio, a published film and theatre journalist of 30 years who has been teaching workshops in creative writing, playwriting and screenwriting throughout South Africa the past 19 years.

As a qualified ETD Practitioner (Education, Training and Development) – accredited by SAQA (The South African Qualifications Authority) and working in accordance with the principles of the Department of Education – Dercksen’s workshops focus on outcomes-based education, training and development.

Dercksen presented a Master Class for Screenwriters at the Talent Campus at the Sithengi Film and TV Market in Cape Town, facilitated a ‘Directing Actors’ workshop with acclaimed actor Eriq Ebouaney, launched an evening course in scriptwriting at the City Varsity Film TV and Multimedia School in Cape Town, presented annual community workshops the Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre in Kwa Mashu as part of the Kwa Mashu Film Festival, a course for the Cape Film Commission at the Ikapa Youth Film Festival, a Masterclass at the 2012 Kunjanimation Animation Festival, served as guest speaker and Judge at the 2013 48 Hours Film Project and presented a workshop for animators at Blackginger TV (2013).

He also established The Write Agency in 2005 and has been actively involved as a script reader, editor and the development of screenplays, novels and plays.

Written, produced, designed and directed by Daniel Dercksen, the play The Beauty of Incomplete Things enjoyed its world premiere in Cape Town on January 24, 2014 and a successful 3-week-run at the Joburg Theatre in July 2014. Daniel Dercksen received the number one spot for most popular lifestyle contributor for 2012 and 2014 on www.bizcommunity.com

Our Proud Graduates include filmmakers John Barker (Spud 3: Learning to Fly, Bunny Chow and How To Steal a Million) and Henk Pretorius (Leading Lady, Bakgat, Fanie Fourie Se Lobola), producer screenwriter and filmmaker Sallas de Jager (Roepman, Verraaiers, Musiek vir die agtergrond and Stuur Groete aan Mannetjies Roux), award-winning playwright Neil Coppen (Abnormal Loads) and Jeremeo Le Cordeur (Tannie Dora Gaan Bos), novelists Lauren Beukes (Zoo City, The Shining Girl) Gary Hirson (The Magic That is Ours and Calm in Storm), Consuelo Roland (who received acclaim for her Lady Limbo Novel, and was Shortlisted for the Sunday Times Fiction Award and received an Honorary mention for the Olive Schreiner Prize for her novel The Good Cemetery Guide), Tenda Madima (whose collection of short stories, Ri khou dzedza, won the African Heritage Literature Award in 1997, and A Victim of Circumstances won the South African Translator’s Institute Literary Award in 2000); and Edmund Mhlongo, producer and renowned Artistic Director who is the founder of Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre, Kwa Mashu and won the Durban Theatre Award in 2005 for Community Theatre)